World Trade Center Miami recognized Patricia Compres, founding and managing member of Advance Customs Brokers & Consulting, as one of five outstanding women in the international trade arena. The International Women’s Achievement Award was presented on May 5. The award honors women practitioners who have made outstanding efforts in field of international trade for South Florida. It aims to document and recognize achievements such as innovations, advancements in trade facilitation and market access, as well as entrepreneurship, which have contributed to and improved the competitiveness of international trade for the community.
In comments accepting the award Compres noted how appropriate it was to celebrate the international achievements of women with an organization like WTC Miami that is led by such an accomplished visionary as Charlotte Gallogly. Compres also acknowledged the many women who contributed to her success. “First and foremost is my partner Maria Bermudez,” she said. “Also, I credit my daughter, my mother, and produce and customs leaders who led the way and mentored me, including Mayda Sotomayor, Carol Sydnor, and Robbi Bell to name a few, as well as my team at Advance Customs Brokers without whose loyalty and dedication I wouldn’t be here.”
Compres commented that as she prepared to accept the award, she looked back on her years as a woman business owner. “It took courage, hard work and long hours to be successful and, perhaps most importantly, a belief that I could do it,” she said. “As women, it’s meaningful to reflect on how we got to where we are and to ask ourselves, what will it take to have more women in leadership roles? What are the barriers we must overcome?”
She spoke about the anxiety and doubt she faced when taking the step to leave her full-time employer, obtain her customs brokers license and strike out on her own. “I was working as an in-house broker for an importer and decided to quit and start my own company,” she said. “It was very scary! It took so much courage to quit. To my surprise my employer at the time, Eladio Valdez, agreed to be my first account knowing that I was starting from my garage. We are still good friends to this day and his trust and support encouraged me to believe in myself.”
She encouraged women not to let resistance within male dominated industries stop them from taking on more senior roles. She further challenged the men to support the many capable women around them. “Think of them when opportunities arise,” she said. “Make sure they are in the room where important decisions are made.”
Compres concluded her remarks by touching on the constraints faced by women with children and encouraged all women to keep persevering. “I had reservations about starting my own business as the mother of a young daughter, and how to navigate the demands of both roles,” she said. “We could do better in supporting both parents and emulating fair household management and balance for the next generation. Lastly, don’t listen to well-meaning people who tell you going for your dream isn’t a good idea. When I started my first business almost 30 years ago, my mother Sady told me ‘don’t be afraid of anything, if you don’t risk you don’t gain’.”
This year marks the 20th year of the event and over 100 women have received the award during this time. In addition to Patricia Compres, the 2023 International Women’s Achievement Award was also presented to: The Honorable Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Mayor; Lissette Elias, Trade Commissioner Dominican Republic; Djenane Gourgue, Vice President of the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce; and Teresa King Kinney, CEO of Miami Association of Realtors.